From FOIA to Politics to Taxes
The animus that was exhibited at the last school board meeting when a question was asked about how much the district pays to respond to FOIA requests was palpable. If you look at the board packet for November 14, you’ll find FOIA requests for “All emails sent by Board members yesterday…” and this should give you an indication of why some of the board members were so upset. It doesn’t take much of a leap to reason that these requests are emanating from board members (who else would know about intra-board emails) to find out what their colleagues think about certain topics. Essentially, we have board members using a new, but effective, political strategy to stymie and silence their opponents before conversation ever gets started. But this is where it gets interesting because, at least in our minds, politics haven’t even entered any real conversation the board has had this whole frickin’ year! There has not been one issue discussed that I would frame as substantively political. Well perhaps and finally, we had a conversation about taxes at the last meeting, but, and this is important, nothing of a political nature was discussed, and every board member simply acquiesced (really?) to a “Public Truth in Taxation Hearing”. So why all the hatred between board members? Why FOIA each other? What has there been to fight over? Is this the way to develop relationships and get things done? Duane and I don’t get most of the FOIA requests to begin with – what are the people making the requests trying to accomplish? Does each request make our kids smarter? We are simply forcing employees in the district to do a lot of extra work to satisfy the whims of (wait, what?) school board members? Really? We think the Superintendent of Schools should ask our district’s attorney to investigate implementing the maximum possible fee for FOIA requests – and yes, we can charge for requests. Then, bring this to a vote by the Board. Ask anyone that is against the fee to investigate each of the past FOIA requests and explain how they are helping the children in District 61. The onus is on them to show why this expenditure is necessary.
And speaking of school board politics and political maneuvering… Is it just me or is politics virtually non-existent within our school board? If you’re a self-proclaimed progressive or a diehard conservative, or anywhere in between, what are you advocating for? Duane and I are dying to hear a few substantive discussions over issues that affect learning. Infighting, backstabbing, etc. might be fun for some people, but that’s not what a school board is supposed to do. I’m going to sound like a broken record, but how about arguing over a 3rd grade reading gate, or banning cell phones, or closing a high school, or developing a Khan-like academy to keep and possibly attract the best and brightest in the area? Those are conversations worth arguing over. Disagree – there’s nothing wrong with that - but let’s try to improve our schools along the way.
Duane and I certainly have our politics and we don’t shy away from them. I’m a classical Liberal (notice the capital “L” –it may not be what you think) and Milton Friedman is my favorite relatively current political thinker. Friedman was not carte blanche against taxes, and as a capitalist thought real estate taxes to fund public education wasn’t a bad idea, but I’m sure he would say that we must get something for our money. That’s why Duane and I were both terribly disappointed when no one took a stand against either the framing of the debate on increasing our taxes, or against having a Truth in Taxation Hearing.
Dr. Curry was careful with his words when he said that by accepting the current amounts proposed for our city real estate taxes, the school district would not be raising your tax rate. Notice he didn’t say the district wouldn’t be raising the amount of taxes you pay because the massive reassessment of property and the increase in the multiplier will raise everyone’s taxes next year even without the district asking for a rate increase. And, of course, District 61 will receive a great deal more money. So, everyone’s taxes will go up and the district will get more money, but while they aren’t directly raising our rates, they:
are the largest recipient from the increase in tax revenue, and
can decrease the rate so we do not have to pay more taxes.
But they aren’t increasing our rate. Whatever.
And here’s where the conversation should, please someone, get political… Property taxes in Illinois are extremely high relative to other states and terribly regressive. Middle-class homeowners pay 6% of their income in property taxes compared to just 1% for millionaires. I can’t find what lower income homeowners (or renters with downstream payments) pay in property taxes, but I’m sure an increase in property taxes hurts this group of people even more than the middle-class homeowner. In 2018, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, one of the most progressive Democrats of our time, established a commission to study and propose reforms to the city's property tax system because he knew the current system was unsustainable for low-income owners and renters. And these issues should be discussed by the board. If the district desperately needed more money than I would be first on board asking for an amount increase (I’m not going to use the word “rate”), but we do not need more money. Heck, we’re going to be able to fund a 2-million-dollar football field without blinking an eye. Shouldn’t we try to keep the amount of money the district receives steady, or perhaps merely keep up with inflation. Where are the progressives demanding better education without harming the low- and middle-income tax base? And where are the conservatives demanding that until we ask for substantive changes in the way we do business (i.e. a 3rd grade reading gate, and ban cell phones, and yadda, yadda) we aren’t going to continue to pay more money while receiving less.
Can you believe someone today is saying this… Can we please get down to the business of politics and stop with the pettiness?
 | A guest post by
|